Rural communities will become ‘unsustainable’ without more doctors

The Rural Doctors Association of Australia (RDAA) chief executive Steve Sant says it is immoral to recruit overseas doctors to cover shortages in country Australia.

A Federal Government audit into rural health services released today highlights a shortage of healthcare professionals but Mr Sant says overseas doctors are needed in their own countries.

“I think that it’s immoral that we’re recruiting doctors from countries such as Pakistan and South Africa etcetera that really need those doctors to ensure their own health services are adequate,” he said.

Mr Sant says without financial incentives to encourage more doctors to the bush, some communities will become unsustainable.

“Across the eastern part of Australia only 5 per cent of medical graduates have taken up rural practice and we need to increase that to 30 or 35 per cent at least,” he said.